Windows 10 Windows Pro Update Notify but don't Download and Install Missing

[Manotee]

I am pretty certain it was not checked, but now I have to do the Anniversary upgrade again and check it out.

It will be interesting if it is unchecked, Notify is turned on and the verification text and Notify do not appear in the Update Advanced Options panel.

If Windows Update in Windows 10 Pro at Build 1607 does not indicate it is honoring the Notify option, it is history.

 

[Manotee]

I am reinstalling Build 1607 and will make certain all settings are made to allow me to control Updates.

At Build 1511 I have Configure Automatic Updates: 2 (Notify) and Install during automatic maintenance unchecked.

Bothersome is that I unchecked Defer Upgrades and Checked for Updates. Update came back with Build 1607 and started downloading without my acceptance for the install. As far as I am concerned, if I go to Windows Update and check for maintenance, it is NOT approval to download and install whatever maintenance is returned.

The Notify option clearly says "After going to Windows Update, users CAN download and install any available maintenance." It doesn't say going to Update will start the download and install process as happened to me. I must be in control of Windows Updates download and installation, complete control.

 

[Neemobeer]

I guess I don't understand why you need to control the update process for home computers. Personally I'm glad Microsoft forces the updates on home users since when I look at friends and family member computers they are typically not current on updates and this behavior in Win 10 fixes that issue. If you are that concerned with controlling the updates you may want to consider implementing a WSUS server.

 

[Manotee]

Someone has asked why I want to control updates. They are perfectly happy with updates being pushed, and have seen some Windows systems without automatic updates that are seriously behind in security maintenance.

I certainly understand this opinion, and it is in the intent of Microsoft that updates be installed when available. I agree with the need for installing updates, but there are times when updates are pushed and automatically installed that affect my sessions on Windows. As I mentioned many times, I don't want updates being applied while I am performing backups, as I am not certain the backup will be usable. Also, I don't want updates being installed when I want to shutdown my system. And there have been times when a driver has been auto installed and affected my external monitor or my sound system, meaning I have to restart, ready or not.

I am an experienced IT specialist (retired), although not in PCs. I understand the need for installing updates, but am willing to accept the risks of temporarily delaying updates for the assurance my backups are viable, shutdown/startup will be uneventful, and critical work that I am doing will not be interrupted by updates requiring restarts to complete. I am not complaining about Windows Update because I am a control freak. I want to make certain my system is as solid and dependable as it can be.

The Anniversary upgrade does not fill me with confidence. I have installed it for the third time, used gpedit to review the policy for Windows update and made certain Notify for downloads and notify for install was set on, and Install during automatic maintenance is turned off.

If I go to the Windows Update panel, the warning Some settings are managed by your organization does not appear, and when I go to Advanced Options I do not see Chose how updates are to be installed / Notify to download. Removing these from the Windows Update panels implies the Anniversary upgrade does not honor the Windows Update policy settings.

I set my time to check for updates to 6PM every day. Since Tuesday is the usual update day, I should see how updates are being handled. It seemed to me updates were automatically installed during the initial Anniversary upgrade period, but I can't be certain what the settings were at that time. I should know soon if the Windows Update policy is in effect, even without the verification text in the Windows Update panels.

I would like to see some official statement from Microsoft about how the Windows Update policy is handled in the Anniversary upgrade. I've looked through all the text I can find and see nothing that fills me with confidence that the policy will be in effect, and MS will continue to support it in future updates to Windows 10 Pro. If MS does plan on supporting the policy in Windows 10 Pro, they should put the appropriate text back in the Windows Update panels.

Even if the Anniversary upgrade support the Windows Update policy, I don't like the way it starts downloading updates when I click on Check for Updates. This has happened frequently in Version 1511, and I don't trust the Anniversary version to be any better. Windows Update should always require confirmation from me I am ready to install updates.

As of now I still plan to install Windows 7 Pro on my PC and use it for as long as I can.

 

[Neemobeer]

WSUS would be your best bet with Windows 10. You can set the GPO to your WSUS server and you have 100% control for which updates are available to your systems. I say this because after 2020 you're going to have to go to Windows 10 anyways or deal with unsupported Win 7

 

[Manotee]

WSUS server for a 72 year old retired man running one PC with Windows 10 Pro? This is a very complicated solution to get what I paid for when I bought 10 Pro upgrade.

The most simple solution is for Microsoft to honor the agreement I made with them when I purchased the Windows 10 Pro upgrade. In fact, I am certain there are a lot of customers of Windows 10 Pro that are upset by Microsoft removing critical functions and feature paid for and used.

I am still waiting for the next batch of updates to be distributed to see exactly how the Anniversary upgrade will handle them now I have all the suggested settings in or out of action.

It may very well be in 2020 I will go kicking and screaming to Windows 10 again, but if faced with the same situation as now where I seem to have no control over the scheduling of updates, I will leave Windows Update disabled and not running until I have time to install updates at my convenience. No notification, no reviewing updates to see if it is worth installing them immediately (and interrupt my PC use).

If Microsoft is interested in having updates installed in a reasonably timely manner, having the only solution to schedule them being activating and deactivating Windows Update, they are making it likely Updates will NOT be installed timely, if at all. Honoring (and expanding) the GPO Control Windows Updates policy would seem to be in Microsoft's and the customer's best interest.

I would like to see the Windows 10 Pro GPO controlled update process more like the Windows 7 Pro format. Having all the updates presented and selectable. No installation until the customer says to install them.

 

[Manotee]

My experience with Windows Update in Windows 10 Pro has been a mixed bag. Even with Notify on and "install during automatic maintenance" unchecked, Windows 10 Pro version 1511 did NOT notify me for the V1607 upgrade, just started to install. But now at V1607, I do see some updates being held for download. At least non-critical ones. But I was not notified updates were available. Perhaps that is done for critical or security updates only.

The following main panel in Windows Update bothers me

Not only is the earlier text - Some settings are managed by your organization - missing, but it now says available updates will be installed automatically. Doesn't fill me with confidence that Microsoft is planning to continue to support the Windows Update Policy via GPO in Pro.

 

[davehc]

Well, here is some more bad news for you. In view of your posts, I thought it might be of significant importance to you.

Windows 7 and 8.1 move to Windows 10-style updates

 

[Manotee]

Interesting read about the roll-up philosophy. Not necessarily bad news.

I didn't upgrade to Pro to be able to review and reject updates, just to be able to schedule updates so they wouldn't affect my PC use or reliability. The frequency and inclusiveness of the updates is not an issue, just the ability to schedule. As a developer in my past life, we occasionally issued "roll-up" fixes that would do as MS has said they will do.But these roll-ups did not replace normal maintenance.

I hope MS will continue to deliver "hot" security fixes as needed, and not wait up to a month for critical maintenance.

Now that the big push to get Windows 7 customers to upgrade to 10 has expired, roll-up fixes there are not an issue to me. My wife's PC running Windows 7 should stay there until she is ready to activate the Windows 10 license it has available.

My unease with the future support for Windows Update Policy compliance in Windows 10 Pro is not completely resolved. I noted in past posts the Notify policy did not seem to extend to upgrades, not even at v1511. If I unchecked Defer Upgrades, the next occurrence for Check for Updates would find the v1607 upgrade and immediately start to install it. ignoring my Windows Update "Notify" policy.

This happened three times, every time it became available (after 2 rollbacks to v1511).

I am not completely filled with confidence in MS's commitment to continue to honor the Windows Update Policy. Nowhere in the Windows Update panels is the Windows Update Policy acknowledged. In fact the panels clearly state for all customers that updates will be immediately downloaded and installed. When the policy is ignored, MS can simply refer to the announcement in the panels and say "working as designed".

My ability to schedule updates to times of my choosing could be compromised by the roll-up philosophy. Since MS has already shown a willingness to ignore the Windows Update Policy for upgrades, will the policy also be ignored for roll-ups? Will all roll-ups be seen as upgrades and installed when found? Will the roll-up ignore my turning on "Defer Upgrades"?

Upgrade v1607 was delivered as a separate distribution from normal maintenance. With the roll-up philosophy, will upgrades now simply be included in the regular roll-up cycle? It would make sense for this to be the case. Does this mean the "Defer Upgrades" setting now has no meaning? Will a roll-up containing an upgrade (if such are still so classified) be marked as an upgrade and honor the Defer request? This would mean by ignoring the upgrade, I will inhibit "normal" maintenance.

On the other hand, with the probable monthly roll-up delivery, I could disable Windows Update and not miss many updates. Just turn Windows Update back on when MS announces a roll-up is available and install it at my convenience. It would be nice if I could sign-up for maintenance notification outside Windows Update "Notify". Especially as "Notify" does not currently consistently notify me when maintenance is available.

I am curious as to whether I am a lone wolf howling in the winds of change. Has anyone else experienced the seeming random compliance with the Windows Update Policy in 10 Pro? Does anyone else share my unease with the commitment MS has to continue to support the Windows Update Policy in 10 Pro?

Whether alone or in a pack, I will continue to howl.